1967-1970

1967-1970
Compilation album by The Beatles
Publication (s)	0April 2, 1973 ( US ) 0April 6, 1973 ( D ) April 19, 1973 ( UK )
Label (s)	Apple / EMI / Universal Music Group
Format (s)	LP , MC , CD , download
Genre (s)	Rock , pop
Title (number)	28
running time	99 min 34 s
occupation	John Lennon : rhythm guitar , vocals Paul McCartney : bass , vocals George Harrison : lead guitar , vocals Ringo Starr : drums , vocals Billy Preston : Keyboard
production	George Martin , Phil Spector (on Across the Universe and The Long and Winding Road )
Studio (s)	Abbey Road Studios , Apple Studios
chronology 1962–1966 (1973) 1967-1970 Rock 'n' Roll Music (1976) Great Britain: The Singles Collection 1962-1970 (1976)

1967-1970 (also known as the Blue Album ) is the second compilation album by the British group The Beatles after their separation, which only contains recordings published until then. The double album was released, like the so-called Red Album 1962-1966 , on April 19, 1973 in Great Britain, on April 2, 1973 in the USA and April 6, 1973 in Germany.

Emergence

Until the release of the Red and Blue album , there was no regular Beatles best-of album in the US . A Collection of Beatles Oldies had been released in the UK in 1966 , but Capitol Records plans to bring a similar compilation to the US were not realized in the 1960s. When in the early 1970s the unlicensed four-album Alpha Omega , which had four albums and was advertised on TV and radio, was sold with great success, those responsible at Apple , Capitol Records and ABKCO, a company owned by the Beatles' manager , saw Allen Klein , an urgent need for action. In this context, there was a court case in the USA in February 1973 in which George Harrison , Apple Records and Capitol Records sued the manufacturers of these compilations.

The album contains a selection of songs by the band that were released between 1967 and 1970. Klein's colleague Allan Steckler, who had already done this for the 1970 compilation Hey Jude , was commissioned to compile the songs . The selection, approved by the Beatles, is limited to much of the band's singles, as well as a few more songs that had previously been released on albums. The album contains six British and eight US number one hits, as well as three other US top ten hits and three British top five hits.

The release of the albums was the first of the Beatles after their separation in 1970. The British and American pressings differ only slightly in contrast to the red album . The Blue Album features four compositions by Harrison ( While My Guitar Gently Weeps , Old Brown Shoe , Here Comes the Sun and Something ) , one song is by Ringo Starr ( Octopus's Garden ) , the other songs were written by Lennon / McCartney .

For the first time, the single versions of the songs Get Back and Let It Be were released on a Beatles album .

John Lennon mentioned in an interview in December 1980 that he was involved in the preparation phase of the two double albums:
“So I was involved in that respect, in that package making sure that the cover was what I wanted and that the sound was done by George Martin . So I don't mind that one. Checked the remix after he'd done it, it was as good as you could get out of whatever mono recording we did then. "

In Spain , when it was released in 1973, The Ballad of John and Yoko was replaced by One After 909 .

In the GDR , the Blue Album was released in January 1982 as a 14-track long-playing record with two different cover designs. After The Beatles from 1965 and A Collection of Beatles Oldies (release: 1974), it was the third Beatles album to be released in the GDR.

The Blue Album reached number 2 on the British album charts and was in the charts for a total of 137 weeks from 1973 to 1993.

In the USA, the Blue Album was awarded a gold record two days before its release , as there was a correspondingly high number of pre-orders. The double album reached number one on the US charts, where it stayed for a week, making it the 15th number one album. In August 2010, the album was multi-platinum in the US for 17 million units sold (8.5 million double albums sold).

In Germany the album reached number 2 and the re-releases on CD in 1993 number 17 in the German album charts, the double album remained in the German charts for 292 weeks, 84 weeks of which in the top ten.

In the Austrian album charts, the Blue Album is in second place on the ranking list for the period 1973–1979 .

Re-releases

• In August 1978 the album was pressed on blue vinyl in the USA and on September 30, 1978 in Great Britain, Germany and other countries. In the following decades the album was released in several countries, again pressed on blue vinyl.
• The album was first released on compact disc on September 30, 1993 . All songs were digitally revised and the American mixes were not taken into account, that is, the albums were released worldwide with identical content. A special feature on the CD is the song A Day in the Life , which began with a fade-in on the vinyl version and now begins with the direct use of an acoustic guitar.
• In October 2010 the double album was published again in a cardboard cover. It was digitally remastered again in 2009 by Sean Magee, Sam Okell, Paul Hicks, Steve Rooke and Guy Massey . The CD cover was redesigned by Drew Lorimer and Darren Evans. The 32-page CD booklet contains photos, the lyrics and an accompanying text by Bill Flanagan. At the same time, the two double albums were released in a cardboard slipcase, the compilation separately reached number 29 in the German charts.
• The album was first published in download format on November 16, 2010 on iTunes , and from December 24, 2015, the album was also available from other providers and streaming services.

Cover design

Pancras Old Church in London

Allan Steckler hired the designer Tom Wilkes , who previously worked for George Harrison, Neil Young and Eric Clapton , to design the albums . Both album covers show a photo of the Beatles on the front, which they show in a comparable pose in the stairwell of their record company EMI . The pictures were taken six years apart. The back photo on the Blue Album was taken on March 5, 1963 and came from the photo session for the cover of the first Beatles LP Please Please Me and is very similar to it. The front photo was taken on May 13, 1969 and was originally intended for the album Get Back , which was ultimately released - with a different cover - as Let It Be . Both pictures are from the photographer Angus McBean . The black and white photo on the inside was taken during the so-called “Mad Day Out” photo session on July 28, 1968 and is by the photographer Don McCullin . It shows the Beatles amid a group of random passers-by behind a fence near St. Pancras Old Church in London.

The colors of the two albums (red and blue) are based on the shirt colors of two football clubs in the Beatles' hometown, Liverpool FC (red) and Everton FC (blue). The color scheme has also been consistently retained on the inside of the hinged covers, the inner sleeves and on the labels of the individual records.

Track list

page 1

No.	title	author	Lead vocals	length	Initial release
01	Strawberry Fields Forever	Lennon / McCartney	Lennon	4:10	Single A-side
02	Penny Lane	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	3:03	Single A-side
03	Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	2:02	from the album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
04th	With a Little Help from My Friends	Lennon / McCartney	Rigid	2:44	from the album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
05	Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds	Lennon / McCartney	Lennon	3:28	from the album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
06th	A day in the life	Lennon / McCartney	Lennon	5:06	from the album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
07th	All you need is love	Lennon / McCartney	Lennon	3:48	Single A-side

Page 2

No.	title	author	Lead vocals	length	Initial release
08th	I am the walrus	Lennon / McCartney	Lennon	4:37	from the album Magical Mystery Tour
09	Hello, goodbye	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	3:31	from the album Magical Mystery Tour
10	The Fool on the Hill	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	3:00	from the album Magical Mystery Tour
11	Magical Mystery Tour	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	2:51	from the album Magical Mystery Tour
12	Lady Madonna	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	2:17	Single A-side
13	Hey Jew	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	7:08	Single A-side
14th	revolution	Lennon / McCartney	Lennon	3:21	Single B-side of Hey Jude

Page 3

No.	title	author	Lead vocals	length	Initial release
15th	Back in the USSR	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	2:45	from the album The Beatles
16	While My Guitar Gently Weeps	Harrison	Harrison	4:45	from the album The Beatles
17th	Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	3:05	from the album The Beatles
18th	Get back	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	3:14	Single A-side
19th	Don't let me down	Lennon / McCartney	Lennon	3:33	Single B-side from Get Back
20th	The Ballad of John and Yoko	Lennon / McCartney	Lennon	2:59	Single A-side
21st	Old Brown Shoe	Harrison	Harrison	3:18	Single b-side from The Ballad of John and Yoko

page 4

No.	title	author	Lead vocals	length	Initial release
22nd	Here comes the sun	Harrison	Harrison	3:05	from the album Abbey Road
23	Come together	Lennon / McCartney	Lennon	4:20	from the album Abbey Road
24	Something	Harrison	Harrison	3:03	from the album Abbey Road
25th	Octopus's Garden	Rigid	Rigid	2:51	from the album Abbey Road
26th	let it be	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	3:52	Single A side (single version)
27	Across the universe	Lennon / McCartney	Lennon	3:48	from the album Let It Be
28	The Long and Winding Road	Lennon / McCartney	McCartney	3:38	from the album Let It Be

Title list of the GDR version
page 1

1. Strawberry Fields Forever - 4:10
2. Penny Lane - 3:03
3. Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - 2:02
4. With a Little Help from My Friends - 2:44
5. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - 3:28
6. Something - 3:03
7. All You Need Is Love - 3:48
8. Here Comes the Sun - 3:05

Page 2

1. I Am the Walrus - 4:37
2. Hello, Goodbye - 3:31
3. The Fool on the Hill - 3:00 am
4. Hey Jude - 7:08
5. Lady Madonna - 2:17
6. Let It Be - 3:52

Mixtures used and differences between the British and US versions of the songs

song	1973: British vinyl version	1973 US vinyl version	1993 and 2010 CD versions
Strawberry Fields Forever	1971 Stereo mixing of the German stereo album Magical Mystery Tour	1971 Stereo mixing of the German stereo album Magical Mystery Tour	1971 Stereo mixing of the German stereo album Magical Mystery Tour
Penny Lane	1971 Stereo mixing of the German stereo album Magical Mystery Tour	1971 Mono mix from the US mono album Magical Mystery Tour	1971 Stereo mixing of the German stereo album Magical Mystery Tour
Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	1967 Stereo mixdown of the British stereo album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	1967 Stereo mixdown of the British stereo album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	1967 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
With a Little Help from My Friends	1967 Stereo mixdown of the British stereo album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	1967 Stereo mixdown of the British stereo album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	1967 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds	1967 Stereo mixdown of the British stereo album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	1967 Stereo mixdown of the British stereo album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	1967 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
A day in the life	1967 Stereo mixdown of the British stereo album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	1967 Stereo mixdown of the British stereo album Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band	1967 Stereo mixing not identical to the vinyl versions, direct use of an acoustic guitar
All you need is love	1969 Stereo mixdown of the British stereo album Yellow Submarine	1969 Stereo mixdown of the British stereo album Yellow Submarine	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
I am the walrus	1967 Stereo mix from the UK stereo EP Magical Mystery Tour	1967 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Magical Mystery Tour , shortened version	Stereo mix from the CD Magical Mystery Tour
Hello, goodbye	1967 Stereo mix from the UK stereo EP Magical Mystery Tour	1967 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Magical Mystery Tour identical to the British version	1967 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
The Fool on the Hill	1967 Stereo mix from the UK stereo EP Magical Mystery Tour	1967 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Magical Mystery Tour identical to the British version	1967 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Magical Mystery Tour	1967 Stereo mix from UK stereo EP Magical Mystery Tour	1967 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Magical Mystery Tour identical to the British version	1967 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Lady Madonna	1969 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Hey Jude	1969 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Hey Jude	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Hey Jew	1969 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Hey Jude	1969 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Hey Jude , a version shortened to 6 min 54 s	1969 stereo mixdown identical to the British vinyl versions
revolution	1969 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Hey Jude	1969 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Hey Jude	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Back in the USSR	1968 Stereo mixing of the British stereo album The Beatles	1968 Stereo mixing of the British stereo album The Beatles	1968 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
While My Guitar Gently Weeps	1968 Stereo mixing of the British stereo album The Beatles	1968 Stereo mixing of the British stereo album The Beatles	1968 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da	1968 Stereo mixing of the British stereo album The Beatles	1968 Stereo mixing of the British stereo album The Beatles	1968 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Get back	1969 Stereo mixdown of the US single	1969 Stereo mixdown of the US single	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Don't let me down	1969 Stereo mixdown of the US single	1969 Stereo mixdown of the US single	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
The Ballad of John and Yoko	1969 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Hey Jude	1969 Stereo mix of the US stereo album Hey Jude	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Old Brown Shoe	1969 stereo mixdown of the British single	1969 stereo mixdown of the British single	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Here comes the sun	1969 stereo mixdown of the British album Abbey Road	1969 stereo mixdown of the British album Abbey Road	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Come together	1969 stereo mixdown of the British album Abbey Road	1969 stereo mixdown of the British album Abbey Road	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Something	1969 stereo mixdown of the British album Abbey Road	1969 stereo mixdown of the British album Abbey Road	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Octopus's Garden	1969 stereo mixdown of the British album Abbey Road	1969 stereo mixdown of the British album Abbey Road	1969 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
let it be	1970 Stereo mixdown of the British single	1970 Stereo mixdown of the British single	1970 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
Across the universe	1970 Stereo mixdown of the British album Let It Be	1970 Stereo mixdown of the British album Let It Be	1970 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions
The Long and Winding Road	1970 Stereo mixdown of the British album Let It Be	1970 Stereo mixdown of the British album Let It Be	1970 Stereo mix identical to the vinyl versions

Chart positions of the album

album		Release Date			Best placement in the charts			Label catalog no.
Type	title	GB	US	DE	GB	US	DE	GB	US	DE
compilation	1967-1970	Apr 19, 1973	0Apr 2, 1973	0Apr 6, 1973	2	1	2	Apple PCSP 718	Apple SKBO 3404	Apple 1C 188-05309 / 10
Compilation of the first CD release	1967-1970	Sep 1993	Sep 1993	Sep 20 1993	4th	133	17th	Apple / EMI CDPCSP 718	Apple / Capitol CDPCSP 718	Apple / EMI CDS 7 97039 2
Compilation Remastered CD re-release	1967-1970	Oct 18, 2010	Oct 19, 2010	Oct 15, 2010	4th	29	71	Apple / EMI 0674723	Apple / Capitol 0674723	Apple / EMI 0674723

Promotion publication

title	content	Publ.	Label catalog no.
The Beatles 1962-1966 / 1967-1970	Hello Goodbye / Ticket to Ride / Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) / In My Life / Help! / The Fool on the Hill	Sep 1993	Capitol DPRO-79286

Chart positions of the singles contained on the album

single	Release Date			Best placement in the charts			Label catalog no.
A side / B side	GB	US	DE	GB	US	DE	GB	US	DE
Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever	Feb. 17, 1967	Feb 13, 1967	Feb. 17, 1967	02	01 /08	01	Parlophone R5570	Capitol 5810	Odeon O 23 436
All You Need Is Love / Baby You're a Rich Man	0July 7, 1967	17th July 1967	0July 7, 1967	01	01 /34	01	Parlophone R5620	Capitol 5964	Odeon O 23 560
Hello, Goodbye / I Am the Walrus	Nov 24, 1967	Nov. 27, 1967	Nov 24, 1967	01	01 /56	01	Parlophone R5655	Capitol 2056	Odeon O 23 660
Lady Madonna / The Inner Light	15th Mar 1968	18 Mar 1968	15th Mar 1968	01	04/96	02	Parlophone R5675	Capitol 2138	Odeon O 23 733
Hey Jew / Revolution	Aug 30, 1968	Aug 26, 1968	Aug 26, 1968	01	01 /12	01	Apple R5722	Apple 2276	Odeon / Apple 23 880
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da / While My Guitar Gently Weeps	-	-	Jan. 14, 1969	nv	nv	01	-	-	Apple 24 004
Get Back / Don't Let Me Down	Apr 11, 1969	05th May 1969	Apr 21, 1969	01	01 /35	01	Apple R5777	Apple 2490	Apple 1C 006-04084
The Ballad of John and Yoko / Old Brown Shoe	May 30, 1969	04th June 1969	May 30, 1969	01	08th / -	01	Apple R5786	Apple 2531	Apple 1C 006-04108
Something / Come Together	Oct. 31, 1969	0Oct 6, 1969	0Oct 8, 1969	04th	03/ 10	01 S5	Apple R5814	Apple 2654	Apple 1C 006-04266
Let It Be / You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)	06th Mar 1970	11th Mar 1970	06th Mar 1970	02	01 / -	02	Apple R5833	Apple 2764	Apple 1C 006-04353
The Long and Winding Road / For You Blue	-	May 11, 1970	June 26, 1970	nv	01 / -	26th	-	Apple 2832	Apple 1C 006-04514

literature

• Neville Stannard: The Long & Winding Road , ISBN 0-907-08096-0 .
• Alex Bagirov: The Anthology of the Beatles Records , ISBN 978-3-936300-44-4 .
• Holger Schoeler, Thorsten Schmidt: The Beatles Mixes , ISBN 3-933851-00-9 .

Sales figures and awards

Country / Region	Award	Sales
Awards for music sales (country / region, Award, Sales)
Argentina (CAPIF)	platinum	60,000
Australia (ARIA)	5 × platinum	350,000
Belgium (BEA)	platinum	50,000
Germany (BVMI)	3 × platinum	1,500,000
France (SNEP)	2 × platinum (original) + gold (remastered)	450,000
Japan (RIAJ)	2 × platinum (original) + gold (remastered)	500,000
Italy (FIMI)	gold	25,000
Canada (MC)	diamond	1,000,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)	platinum	15,000
Netherlands (NVPI)	gold	50,000
Norway (IFPI)	gold	20,000
Austria (IFPI)	3 × platinum	150,000
Sweden (IFPI)	platinum	100,000
Switzerland (IFPI)	platinum	50,000
Spain (Promusicae)	2 × platinum	200,000
United States (RIAA)	17 × platinum	8,500,000
United Kingdom (BPI)	2 × platinum	600,000

Main article: The Beatles / Music Sales Awards

Web links

• 1967–1970 information (official site)
• 1967-1970 Information (UK)
• Information on 1967–1970 (ALLMUSIC)
• Further information on 1967–1970
• Further information on 1967–1970

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Bruce Spizer: The Beatles on Apple Records . New Orleans: 498 Productions, 2003. p. 226.
2. ^ The time of May 4, 1973
3. ↑ Spanish version of the Blauen album
4. ↑ Spanish version of the Blauen album 2
5. ^ GDR version of the Blauen album
6. ↑ www.jpgr.co.uk (English)
7. ↑ Bruce Spizer: The Beatles on Apple Records . New Orleans: 498 Productions, 2003. p. 225.
8. ↑ Multi-platinum award
9. ↑ [1]
10. ↑ Statistics on austriancharts.at .
11. ↑ The Blue Album (US version) on blue vinyl
12. ↑ The Blue Album (GB version) on blue vinyl
13. ↑ The Blue Album (German version) on blue vinyl
14. ↑ Message on www.beatlesbible.com (Engl.)
15. ↑ 1962–1966 / 1967–1970
16. ↑ Download the Beatles songs
17. ↑ Streaming the Beatles songs
18. ↑ ^{a b} Bruce Spizer: The Beatles on Apple Records . New Orleans: 498 Productions, 2003. p. 228.
19. ^ The Beatles: Anthology , Ullstein-Verlag, 2000, ISBN 978-3-550-07132-4 .
20. ^ Jeff Russell: The Beatles Album-File And Complete Discography , Blendforf Press, 1989, p. 138, ISBN 0-7137-2065-4 .